Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections Alina Garcia, a Republican and staunch anti-socialist, is offering up her home in collateral to keep a convicted agent of ousted and jailed Venezuelan socialist president Nicolás Maduro out of prison.
Former Republican Congressman David Rivera was convicted earlier this month of illegally working as a foreign agent of Maduro, conspiracy to commit money laundering for Maduro’s government and other offenses.
Rivera is currently awaiting sentencing for his crimes.
But in a series of letters submitted to the federal court, Rivera’s longtime friends are asking a court to keep him as a free man. The government has considered him a flight risk and placed his bond at $7 million in order to ensure he shows up to court during sentencing.
Supervisor of Elections Garcia offered her own home equity, valued at $400,000, as collateral for keeping Rivera behind bars. She said the two had known each other for decades.
READ MORE: Former Miami Congressman David Rivera is convicted in a secret Venezuela lobbying case
"Over four decades I have witnessed his unwavering dedication to the people of Florida and to this country. He gave his life to public service, fighting for his constituents and for the values that define this community. He is a man who has always put Florida and its people first, and that is not someone who walks away from his obligations," wrote Garcia.
She added: "I am willing to risk my own home because I unquestioningly believe in David Rivera."
The full court filing can be read below.
Garcia, who has publicly positioned herself as a staunch anti-communist and anti-socialist, did not respond to a request from WLRN for comment through her office at the Supervisor of Elections.
Rivera was a longtime close associate of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, stemming from their time as legislators in the Florida House together. At one point, the duo owned a home together. Rubio made the highly unusual move of testifying at Rivera’s criminal trial.
Garcia herself was a longtime aide of Rubio, and Rubio’s daughter, Amanda, was working in Garcia’s office last year, according to an organizational chart obtained by WLRN.
Both Garcia and Rivera attended a heated meeting last December to speak in favor of Miami Dade College transferring valuable land to the state in order to later place a Trump Presidential Library across the street from the Freedom Tower in downtown Miami. Both spoke in favor of the controversial land transfer.
Other prominent figures and close friends who have offered up cash or their homes in hopes of temporarily keeping Rivera out of prison:
- Monsignor Wilfredo Peña Moredo offered his home, with a value of $575,000 (Note: the monsignor is Alina Garcia’s brother)
- Former Florida International University President Modesto Maidique offered a $100,000 cash deposit.
- Former Florida International University President Mark Rosenberg offered his home equity with a value of $500,000.
- Manuel Prieguez, a Republican former state representative, offered his home, valued at $1.6 million.
- Prominent traffic ticket attorney Alex Hanna offered a deposit of $100,000.
- Juan Carlos Zapata, former Miami-Dade county commissioner, offered his home equity to the value of $267,000.
- Yvonne Soler Mckinley, former city manager of Doral and South Miami, offered home equity with value of $570,000.
- Longtime friend Isabel Fernandez De Luna, offered home equity with value between $800,000-$900,000.
- Longtime friend Evelyn Pate, offered home equity with value of $300,000.
